An electrically powered wheelchair that has a function of not only moving by operation of a person, but also detecting an obstacle by an obstacle detection sensor and stopping traveling of the electrically powered wheelchair has been known. In particular, a traveling control method for an electrically powered wheelchair in which sophisticated operation is possible is disclosed (for example, see PTL 1).
In the traveling control method, information on presence or absence of an obstacle from the obstacle detection sensor is input to travel permission decision means. In a case where an obstacle is detected, an instruction to activate an alarm is given to alarm activation means and an operation stop instruction is given to motor drive means to temporally stop the electrically powered wheelchair to avoid collision against the obstacle. Then, in the case of waiting for a next operation instruction and receiving a traveling instruction including the direction in which an obstacle is detected from the operation means again, a travel permission (instruction) is given to the motor drive means again and permits the traveling while the alarm activation instruction is sent to the alarm activation means.
Moreover, the configuration of the electrically powered wheelchair for realizing the above operation is shown. In the configuration according to the related art, a configuration in which the obstacle detection sensor is installed on the main body of the electrically powered wheelchair and is disposed at the foremost portion of the sitting surface.
According to the configuration, the electrically powered wheelchair can detect an obstacle in front of the electrically powered wheelchair, and avoid a collision by temporally stopping. In a case where the operation instruction including the direction in which an obstacle is detected is performed again, the electrically powered wheelchair can travel to a vicinity of the obstacle without canceling the obstacle detection means or undergoing special operation procedures by alerting a rider and permitting the operation.